


at least we had it for a moment

by ifimightchime



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Apocalypse, Chocolatebox Treat, Completely noncanon take on what infinity stones are capable of, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-10-27 16:26:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17770223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifimightchime/pseuds/ifimightchime
Summary: The world may be ending, but at least they're not alone.





	at least we had it for a moment

**Author's Note:**

  * For [witheachsunrise](https://archiveofourown.org/users/witheachsunrise/gifts).



“So this is what the end of the world is going to look like.”

The sunrise is cotton candy pink and a nearly radioactive green; Steve isn’t sure that’s what Natasha means, but it’s all they can really see from up here, besides the sickly trees that surround them. They spent a week hiking up this mountain, the four of them, taking their time -- but there’s really no other option than to try and take your time where you can, these days.

They won’t be going back down today. Not when Steve woke up sickly and small, coughing again. It’s a nice place to rest, though.

“World’s not going to end today,” Peggy says behind them, where she’s fixing breakfast over the fire. She’s young as well, the lines that were there last night smoothed out until she’s the spitting image of the woman he knew. They’re getting used to it, the way their bodies shift with the tides, the way dead people are suddenly there again and sometimes people who are there suddenly aren’t.

Time is disintegrating no matter what they do; it’s either accept it or let it drive you crazy, and none of them like the second option very much. It’s hard enough for people like them to accept they can’t change it.

“You sure about that, Peg?” Bucky’s supposed to be taking down the tent, in case they decide to move on, but he’s sitting cross-legged on the mattresses instead, not even pretending to work. Even when this inevitably moves on -- nobody stays the same for a full day anymore, not even when the world shudders and the days come too fast -- Steve’s not going to want to do much hiking after feeling like shit.

“Absolutely,” Peggy says. Her bravado has to be faked, but even now, Steve can’t really tell.

“It has to end eventually,” Natasha says, her chin resting on the knee pulled up to her chest. “Or we do, at least, which might as well be the end of the world as far as we’ll know.”

“You don’t know that. You don’t know that we won’t simply end up in some other time, or that eventually it won’t stabilize itself. Even your friend isn’t sure that stone of his won’t somehow remake itself.” Peggy knows Thor’s name well enough, and knows that the stone is in no way his, but Steve can understand the need to blame somebody, whether they deserve it or not. “So stop being a pessimist and have some coffee before James drinks it all, because that, I can promise, will not suddenly reappear.”

Natasha cracks a small smile, and Steve scoots a little bit closer. She doesn’t always want to be touched, especially when she’s in these moods, but he takes a gamble, leaning against her side, and is rewarded with the feeling of her shoulders untensing fractionally against him.

“At least we’ve got each other,” he offers quietly.

“For now,” Natasha says, and there’s still uncertainty in her voice, but it’s warm anyway.


End file.
